Smart nanoparticles for cancer therapy

Smart nanoparticles,which can respond to biological cues or be guided by them,are emerging as a promising drug delivery platform for precise cancer treatment.The field of oncology,nanotechnology,and biomedicine has witnessed rapid progress,leading to innovative developments in smart nanoparticles for safer and more effective cancer therapy.In this review,we will highlight recent advancements in smart nanoparticles,including polymeric nanoparticles,dendrimers,micelles,liposomes,protein nanoparticles,cell membrane nanoparticles,mesoporous silica nanoparticles,gold nanoparticles,iron oxide nanoparticles,quantum dots,carbon nanotubes,black phosphorus,MOF nanoparticles,and others.We will focus on their classification,structures,synthesis,and intelligent features.These smart nanoparticles possess the ability to respond to various external and internal stimuli,such as enzymes,pH,temperature,optics,and magnetism,making them intelligent systems.Additionally,this review will explore the latest studies on tumor targeting by functionalizing the surfaces of smart nanoparticles with tumor-specific ligands like antibodies,peptides,transferrin,and folic acid.We will also summarize different types of drug delivery options,including small molecules,peptides,proteins,nucleic acids,and even living cells,for their potential use in cancer therapy.While the potential of smart nanoparticles is promising,we will also acknowledge the challenges and clinical prospects associated with their use.Finally,we will propose a blueprint that involves the use of artificial intelligence-powered nanoparticles in cancer treatment applications.By harnessing the potential of smart nanoparticles,this review aims to usher in a new era of precise and personalized cancer therapy,providing patients with individualized treatment options.

Delivering an mRNA vaccine using a lymphatic drug delivery device improves humoral and cellular immunity against SARS-CoV-2

The exploration and identification of safe and effective vaccines for the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic have captured the world's attention and remains an ongoing issue due to concerns of balancing protection against emerging variants of concern while also generating long-lasting immunity. Here, we report the synthesis of a novel messenger ribonucleic acid encoding the spike protein in a lipid nanoparticle formulation (STI-7264) that generates robust humoral and cellular immunity following immunization of C57Bl6 mice. In an effort to improve immunity, a clinically focused lymphatic drug delivery device (MuVaxx) was engineered to modulate immune cells at the injection site (epidermis and dermis) and draining lymph node (LN) and tested to measure adaptive immunity. Using MuVaxx, immune responses were elicited and maintained at a 10-fold dose reduction compared to traditional intramuscular (IM) administration as measured by anti-spike antibodies, cytokine-producing CD8 T cells, neutralizing antibodies against the Washington (wild type) strain and South African (Beta) variants, and LN-resident spike-specific memory B cells. Remarkably, a 4-fold-elevated T cell response was observed in MuVaxx-administered vaccination compared to that of IM-administered vaccination. Thus, these data support further investigation into STI-7264 and lymphatic-mediated delivery using MuVaxx for SARS-CoV-2 and VoC vaccines.